On lunch yesterday, I went to Home Depot, and purchased some 48" x 24" x 1/4" hardboard, and a piece of 48" x 3" x 3/4" MDF commonly used for trim. (It was pre-finished and pre-primed and dead straight.) I had them use their panel cutter (which has always given me perfect cuts) and cut the hardboard down so that I had a piece that was 48" x 12" and two pieces that were 24" x 12". I had them cut the same lengths from the MDF trim. I went home, grabbed my glue and clamps, measured it out and set it up. To that end, I had two sawboards built and ready by the time I returned home. They cost me a grand total of $6.06, including the labour of the HD guy who cut 'em up.

I do have a question on an idea I had. If I'm using this for both my circular saw and my router, why not this idea:

On the side that you'd normally use your circular saw on, I believe there is a 4" - 5" distance between the blade and the edge that the base will ride along. Considering my router base has a 3" distance from the outer guide to centre, if I only use the sawboard with my router using the 1/2" bit (for example), could I cut the channel you see in the diagram above, so that I would use the main side of the sawboard, without compromizing the outer edge? Considering the outer edge (where the circular saw blade would run along) is not under any real strain, I don't see where it would be too much of an issue. I'm just wondering if anyone has tried something like this before? I like the idea, as then, you would have the ability to use either side for your sawboard - the smaller for clamping, or the smaller side of the saw.

Of course, given the inexpensive nature of the build, one of two things is true - either I try it, and if it doesn't work, I rebuild more for a cheap price, or else I just go out and buy more wood to make dedicated routerboards.

I made myself a few of these sawboards at different lengths the other day. Soo bloody handy. I was using a long straight piece of pine before, and it would get cuts pretty close. Now with a proper guide, i swear its cutting the pencil line in half.

Make sure, when you build one and use one, that you take into consideration blade thickness and style. Diablo saw blades have a different teeth structure and ate into my first saw board as I was not paying attention.

Has anyone made one of these for a hand held jigsaw? Because that is what i have, and of course, i was never able to do a straight cut.Supposedly there are cutting guides for jigsaws, but I was unable to find one in stores, and they are also only useful if you are cutting next to a straight edge of the material, so, no good...